[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"nav-categories":3,"article-meta-scales-back-metaverse-ambitions-with-up-to-30-budget-cut-for-2026":70},{"data":4},[5,37,57,64],{"name":6,"slug":7,"categories":8},"Productivity","productivity",[9,13,17,21,25,29,33],{"id":10,"title":11,"slug":12},17,"Branding","branding",{"id":14,"title":15,"slug":16},19,"Marketing","marketing",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20},20,"Work","work",{"id":22,"title":23,"slug":24},34,"Community","community",{"id":26,"title":27,"slug":28},21,"For newbies","for-newbies",{"id":30,"title":31,"slug":32},24,"Investment","investment",{"id":34,"title":35,"slug":36},22,"Finance","finance",{"name":38,"slug":39,"categories":40},"Tech","tech",[41,45,49,53],{"id":42,"title":43,"slug":44},28,"Technology","technology",{"id":46,"title":47,"slug":48},32,"Artificial Intelligence","artificial-intelligence",{"id":50,"title":51,"slug":52},26,"Security and protection","security-and-protection",{"id":54,"title":55,"slug":56},31,"YouTube Blog","youtube-blog",{"name":58,"slug":59,"categories":60},"News","news",[61],{"id":62,"title":58,"slug":63},18,"quasanews",{"name":65,"slug":66,"categories":67},"Business","business",[68],{"id":69,"title":65,"slug":66},16,{"post":71,"published_news":95,"popular_news":154,"categories":218},{"title":72,"description":73,"meta_title":72,"meta_description":74,"meta_keywords":75,"text":76,"slug":77,"created_at":78,"publish_at":79,"formatted_created_at":80,"category_id":18,"links":81,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":86,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"category":89},"Meta Scales Back Metaverse Ambitions with Up to 30% Budget Cut for 2026","In a significant strategic pivot, Meta Platforms is preparing to slash funding for its metaverse division by as much as 30% in 2026, redirecting resources toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and consumer wearables like advanced smart glasses.","As Zuckerberg pivots once again, the episode serves as a cautionary tale of how even the boldest tech visions must eventually confront market realities.","Potential layoffs could begin as early as January 2026, primarily affecting metaverse-focused teams, though Meta insists it remains committed to long-term XR innovation.","\u003Cp>In a significant strategic pivot, Meta Platforms is preparing to slash funding for its metaverse division by as much as 30% in 2026, redirecting resources toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and consumer wearables like advanced smart glasses.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"447\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-12-04T222159.152.jpg\" width=\"300\" />The move, part of the company's annual budgeting process, reflects mounting pressure to curb losses in its Reality Labs unit after years of heavy investment yielded limited returns.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Reality Labs - the division responsible for Quest VR headsets, Horizon Worlds social platform, and augmented reality projects - has accumulated more than $70 billion in operating losses since early 2021.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Quarterly deficits have routinely exceeded $4 billion, with the unit generating only modest revenue from hardware sales and in-app purchases. For context, these cumulative losses rival the market capitalization of major corporations and dwarf the R&D budgets of most tech peers.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>The deepest reductions are expected to target virtual reality initiatives, including the Quest lineup and Horizon Worlds, which have struggled to attract mainstream users despite technical improvements.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Analysts have long questioned the platform's viability; as early as April 2025, Forrester's Mike Proulx forecasted a potential shutdown of Horizon Worlds by year-end, citing persistent user disengagement and competition from more practical applications.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-right\" height=\"447\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-12-04T222157.809.jpg\" width=\"300\" />\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/mark-zuckerberg-unveils-meta-s-ai-vision-in-theinformation-titv-interview\">Meta\u003C/a> executives attribute the pullback to slower-than-anticipated industry adoption. Major competitors like Apple, Google, and Microsoft have prioritized mixed-reality prototypes or AI integrations over fully immersive virtual worlds, leaving Meta as the primary big-tech spender in a niche that consumers have yet to embrace for work or socializing.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/mark-zuckerberg-gains-26-billion-in-a-single-day-outpacing-h-m-s-valuation\">CEO Mark Zuckerberg\u003C/a>, who famously rebranded the company from Facebook in 2021 to signal a metaverse-first future, has increasingly shifted public commentary toward AI superintelligence and wearable devices.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Saved funds will bolster development of AI-enhanced hardware, building on the surprise success of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Partner EssilorLuxottica reported sales tripling year-over-year in the first half of 2025, validating lighter, everyday wearables over bulky headsets. Upcoming projects include prototypes like Orion AR glasses and next-generation models with real-time AI vision capabilities, positioned as the bridge to more practical augmented experiences.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Potential layoffs could begin as early as January 2026, primarily affecting metaverse-focused teams, though Meta insists it remains committed to long-term XR innovation. The company is not abandoning the metaverse entirely but adopting a more disciplined approach amid investor demands for profitability.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg alt=\"\" class=\"image-align-left\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://quasa.io/storage/photos/00/image - 2025-12-04T222051.041.jpg\" width=\"300\" />Also read:\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cul>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/cz-spotlights-predict-fun-a-yield-bearing-prediction-market-launches-on-bnb-chain\">CZ Spotlights Predict.fun: A Yield-Bearing Prediction Market Launches on BNB Chain\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/from-potatoes-to-prosperity-how-ireland-engineered-its-astonishing-economic-miracle\">From Potatoes to Prosperity: How Ireland Engineered Its Astonishing Economic Miracle\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/google-unleashes-workspace-studio-a-no-code-ai-agent-revolution-powered-by-gemini-3\">Google Unleashes Workspace Studio: A No-Code AI Agent Revolution Powered by Gemini 3\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\t\u003Cli>\u003Ca href=\"https://quasa.io/media/seo-for-financial-services\">SEO for Financial Services\u003C/a>\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\n\u003Cp>This recalibration highlights a broader industry reality: while the metaverse captured imaginations in 2021, consumer behavior has favored AI tools and subtle wearables that enhance rather than replace real-world interactions. For Meta, once the undisputed leader in this space, the cuts mark a pragmatic acknowledgment that the horizon for virtual worlds may be further away than anticipated - freeing capital for battles in AI, where competition is fierce and immediate payoffs more tangible. As Zuckerberg pivots once again, the episode serves as a cautionary tale of how even the boldest tech visions must eventually confront market realities.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Author: \u003Ca href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/slava-vasipenok/\">Slava Vasipenok\u003C/a>\u003Cbr />\nFounder and CEO of QUASA (quasa.io) — the world's first remote work platform with payments in cryptocurrency.\u003C/p>\n\n\u003Cp>Innovative entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, fintech, and blockchain. Specializes in decentralized solutions for freelancing, helping to overcome the barriers of traditional finance, especially in developing regions.\u003C/p>","meta-scales-back-metaverse-ambitions-with-up-to-30-budget-cut-for-2026","2025-12-04T21:24:05.000000Z","2025-12-17T09:17:00.000000Z","17.12.2025",{"image":82,"thumb":83},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/GMfOPEE63JtFF5lhTsXztqHTzbjmfxJhBrPjNRXL.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/GMfOPEE63JtFF5lhTsXztqHTzbjmfxJhBrPjNRXL.jpg","small",null,1903,0,"en",{"id":18,"title":19,"slug":20,"meta_title":90,"meta_description":91,"meta_keywords":92,"deleted_at":85,"created_at":93,"updated_at":94,"lang":88},"Quasa Media's blog about Growth Hacking in action","Exclusive life hacks on how to choose a career and be productive in any job.","Freelance, business, startup, Survive As a Freelance Developer","2021-09-03T20:21:41.000000Z","2024-08-25T15:40:14.000000Z",[96,109,120,131,143],{"title":97,"description":98,"slug":99,"created_at":100,"publish_at":101,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":103,"links":104,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":107,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"The AI Scientist Hits Nature: Scaling Scientific Discovery Like Code","The dream of a fully autonomous laboratory has moved from the realm of \"experimental demo\" to a validated scientific reality. The AI Scientist, a pioneering system designed to automate the entire lifecycle of research, has officially been published in Nature.","the-ai-scientist-hits-nature-scaling-scientific-discovery-like-code","2026-03-25T19:23:02.000000Z","2026-04-08T09:15:00.000000Z","08.04.2026",{"title":47,"slug":48},{"image":105,"thumb":106},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/QZJ74ZuxTmCA52qWq4HZkP2WikrOYpg6WBusDdyn.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/QZJ74ZuxTmCA52qWq4HZkP2WikrOYpg6WBusDdyn.jpg",44,false,{"title":110,"description":111,"slug":112,"created_at":113,"publish_at":114,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":115,"links":116,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":119,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"Nostalgia Is Still King: Retro Video Rental Store Simulator Is a Massive Hit on Steam","In the age of instant streaming, it turns out a surprising number of people — including many who were born after Blockbuster went bankrupt — are craving the simple joy of renting physical movies.","nostalgia-is-still-king-retro-video-rental-store-simulator-is-a-massive-hit-on-steam","2026-03-25T18:41:36.000000Z","2026-04-08T06:35:00.000000Z",{"title":43,"slug":44},{"image":117,"thumb":118},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/VvOooYMc2244q5hTV6Or5OMgr8schTPlzU8b4HXY.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/VvOooYMc2244q5hTV6Or5OMgr8schTPlzU8b4HXY.jpg",146,{"title":121,"description":122,"slug":123,"created_at":124,"publish_at":125,"formatted_created_at":102,"category":126,"links":127,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":130,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"Hollywood Is Shrinking — And the Real Villain Isn’t Strikes or Wildfires, It’s the Government","American film and television production is in serious decline, and last week a surprisingly candid hearing in Burbank made one thing crystal clear: the biggest problem isn’t greedy studios, lazy writers, or California wildfires.","hollywood-is-shrinking-and-the-real-villain-isn-t-strikes-or-wildfires-it-s-the-government","2026-03-25T18:29:29.000000Z","2026-04-08T03:21:00.000000Z",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":128,"thumb":129},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/RZriu0EWvrhbleBD7g7RJnhk1QyPm4DDZeesC0bC.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/RZriu0EWvrhbleBD7g7RJnhk1QyPm4DDZeesC0bC.jpg",265,{"title":132,"description":133,"slug":134,"created_at":135,"publish_at":136,"formatted_created_at":137,"category":138,"links":139,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":142,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"YouTube Is Tightening the Screws: Unskippable Long Ads Are Coming — Even If You Don’t Like It","YouTube has officially decided to stop pretending.In a move that many saw coming but hoped would never actually happen, the platform is rolling out longer, unskippable ads — and they’re starting with the TV app.","youtube-is-tightening-the-screws-unskippable-long-ads-are-coming-even-if-you-don-t-like-it","2026-03-25T18:13:01.000000Z","2026-04-07T11:07:00.000000Z","07.04.2026",{"title":55,"slug":56},{"image":140,"thumb":141},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/jDkf2DFZ7806GqMWYw0QxMTPHUHpgImLFgi4BTPE.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/jDkf2DFZ7806GqMWYw0QxMTPHUHpgImLFgi4BTPE.jpg",933,{"title":144,"description":145,"slug":146,"created_at":147,"publish_at":148,"formatted_created_at":137,"category":149,"links":150,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":153,"likes":87,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"Stranger Things Is Heading to the Kitchen: Netflix Turns Overcooked into Its Next Big Franchise Play","Netflix is once again proving it will try literally anything to get you to open the Games tab.","stranger-things-is-heading-to-the-kitchen-netflix-turns-overcooked-into-its-next-big-franchise-play","2026-03-25T18:04:36.000000Z","2026-04-07T09:53:00.000000Z",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":151,"thumb":152},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/rOBSyjv4EZhVjNfbcHhgjnJKaY05XHB0FcOVRnXU.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/rOBSyjv4EZhVjNfbcHhgjnJKaY05XHB0FcOVRnXU.jpg",942,[155,168,182,193,206],{"title":156,"description":157,"slug":158,"created_at":159,"publish_at":160,"formatted_created_at":161,"category":162,"links":163,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":166,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"The Anatomy of an Entrepreneur","Entrepreneur is a French word that means an enterpriser. Enterprisers are people who undertake a business or enterprise with the chance of earning profits or suffering from loss.","the-anatomy-of-an-entrepreneur","2021-08-04T15:18:21.000000Z","2025-12-14T06:09:00.000000Z","14.12.2025",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":164,"thumb":165},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/mVsXPTMuHZuI7UXCsENgL1Qwp1uSOf7Rz3uVPMfm.webp",67052,2,{"title":169,"description":170,"slug":171,"created_at":172,"publish_at":173,"formatted_created_at":174,"category":175,"links":176,"view_type":179,"video_url":85,"views":180,"likes":181,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"Advertising on QUASA","QUASA MEDIA is read by more than 400 thousand people a month. We offer to place your article, add a link or order the writing of an article for publication.","advertising-on-quasa","2022-07-06T07:33:02.000000Z","2025-12-15T17:33:02.000000Z","15.12.2025",{"title":58,"slug":63},{"image":177,"thumb":178},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/45SvmdsTQbiyc3nxgbyHY1mpVbisYyub2BCHjqBL.jpg","large",66288,4,{"title":183,"description":184,"slug":185,"created_at":186,"publish_at":187,"formatted_created_at":80,"category":188,"links":189,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":192,"likes":181,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"What is a Startup?","A startup is not a new company, not a tech company, nor a new tech company. You can be a new tech company, if your goal is not to grow high and fast; then, you are not a startup. ","what-is-a-startup","2021-08-04T12:05:17.000000Z","2025-12-17T13:02:00.000000Z",{"title":65,"slug":66},{"image":190,"thumb":191},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/EOsQhSW3VXyG7a6NPdE1oZd00xfJXe3bjY5aJGb7.webp",64867,{"title":194,"description":195,"slug":196,"created_at":197,"publish_at":198,"formatted_created_at":199,"category":200,"links":201,"view_type":84,"video_url":85,"views":204,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":205,"is_pinned":108},"Top 5 Tips to Make More Money as a Content Creator","Content creators are one of the most desired job titles right now. Who wouldn’t want to earn a living online?","top-5-tips-to-make-more-money-as-a-content-creator","2022-01-17T17:31:51.000000Z","2026-01-17T11:30:00.000000Z","17.01.2026",{"title":19,"slug":20},{"image":202,"thumb":203},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/gP8kiumBPpJmQv6SMieXiX1tDetx43VwFfO1P4Ca.jpg",39457,1,{"title":207,"description":208,"slug":209,"created_at":210,"publish_at":211,"formatted_created_at":212,"category":213,"links":214,"view_type":179,"video_url":85,"views":217,"likes":167,"lang":88,"comments_count":87,"is_pinned":108},"8 Logo Design Tips for Small Businesses","Your logo tells the story of your business and the values you stand for.","8-logo-design-tips-for-small-businesses","2021-12-04T21:59:52.000000Z","2025-05-05T03:30:00.000000Z","05.05.2025",{"title":15,"slug":16},{"image":215,"thumb":216},"https://quasa.io/storage/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg","https://api.quasa.io/thumbs/news-thumb/images/news/Wbx2NtS1CnTupgoQbpFMGspJ5jm4uob2hDOq33r0.jpg",38960,[219,220,221,222,223,224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231],{"title":23,"slug":24},{"title":47,"slug":48},{"title":55,"slug":56},{"title":43,"slug":44},{"title":51,"slug":52},{"title":31,"slug":32},{"title":35,"slug":36},{"title":27,"slug":28},{"title":19,"slug":20},{"title":15,"slug":16},{"title":58,"slug":63},{"title":11,"slug":12},{"title":65,"slug":66}]